Wolverines Finish Sweep of Irish

Saturday, February 19, 2005
Yost Ice Arena, Ann Arbor, Michigan

It wasn't always pretty as the Wolverine hockey team sent the Notre Dame hockey team home with their second straight loss, but in the end Michigan proved to be to much for the Irish. Michigan didn't play particularly well last night on defense, had some trouble with penalties, and saw at least one fairly soft goal on their way to a six to three victory over visiting Notre Dame.

The first five minutes of the game were busy for Michigan. After getting whistled for a penalty barely two minutes into the game the Wolverines came up with a strong penalty kill and escaped the early blunder without giving up a goal. Then with just over fifteen minutes left to play the Wolverines cracked the Irish goal tender for the first time. Michigan had the puck behind and a little to the right side of the Irish net when a quick pass was snapped out to Porter who was position in the slot right between the face off circles. As soon as the puck hit his stick he fired a bullet that beat the Irish net minder for the games first score. Assists went to Hensick and Tambellini.

With the clock just under the ten minute mark the Irish were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. The Wolverines had trouble getting any kind of sustained pressure on this power play, but with just eight seconds left in the man advantage they once again had the puck in the back of Irish goal. Michigan had the puck in the Irish zone left of center ice. From there Werner got off a big shot that was blocked, but the rebound bounced way out to the right face off circle. Tambellini was right there to scoop the puck up and rifle the puck back toward and into the net before the Irish goalie could bet back across the crease. Both Werner and Nystrom picked up assists on the goal.

The Irish would survive an lengthy stretch of time where Michigan had a two man advantage on the power play without giving up a goal. Both teams would send a couple more players each to the penalty box in the closing minutes of the period, but there would be no further scoring in the opening period. After twenty minutes of play it was Michigan leading Notre Dame by a score of two to nothing. The Wolverines had a twelve to four advantage in shots on goal after one full period.

The second period would start with both teams skating four on four for the first 1:35. With barely thirty seconds played in the period the Irish broke out of the Michigan zone, getting behind the Michigan defense as they passed through the neutral zone. As the Irish skater closed on the Michigan goal, he moved somewhat from left to right pulling Montoya one way, before neatly tucking the puck into the goal behind Montoya.

With just over five minutes to play, in what had otherwise been a lack luster second period the Wolverines had the puck in the Irish zone when they got off a shot from the right face off circle. This shot was blocked and the rebound looked to be trapped by the Irish net minder, but the puck suddenly squirted out in front of the Irish goal, landing on the ice about four feet from the crease. Michigan's David Moss was able to get to the puck first, punching it back into the Irish net for the Wolverines third goal of the game. Assists went to Rohlfs and Woodford.

It looked like Michigan would end two periods of play still holding a two goal lead but with just 18.7 seconds left on the clock the Irish found a way to once again get the puck behind Montoya. This time the Michigan defense turned the puck over just outside their own zone. The Irish quickly moved back into the Michigan zone. From midway between the top of the circle and the blue line an Irish player got off a shot that beat Montoya clean and there didn't appear to be any kind of screen, just a poor job of concentration leading to a soft goal.

The second period would come to an end with Michigan clinging to a three to two lead. The Wolverines continued to out shoot the Irish, ending forty minutes of play with a twenty-two to eight advantage in shots on goal.

With just over one minute of time ticked off the clock at the start of the third period Michigan's Kevin Porter was whistled for a five minute major penalty (he was also booted for the remainder of the game). The Wolverines had killed off all but the last two minutes of the major penalty when Tim Cook was whistled for another penalty giving the Irish a very long two man advantage. The Wolverine penalty kill stood tall on this occasion, killing off both the major and minor penalties without giving up a goal. Notre Dame took a time out with about one minute left in the major penalty, but it did them no good.

With about seven and half minutes left to play the Irish were whistled for a penalty putting Michigan on the power play. With just over seven minutes left in the game and 1:35 in the power play, the Wolverines would strike for their fourth goal of the game. Michigan was moving the puck well around the Irish zone when Tambellini saw a shooting lane from the right circle. Tambellini's shot was blocked, but the rebound bounced right to Ebbett who wasted no time slamming the puck into the Irish net. Tambellini and Werner each picked up an assist on the goal.

With the clock just under the two minute mark Michigan had chipped the puck up the left boards and finally had it in the Irish zone. With the puck at the bottom of the face off circle Tambellini sent a laster of a shot that beat the Irish net minder to find its way into the Irish net for the fifth time that night. Both Kolarik and Montoya picked up assists on the goal.

Barely twenty seconds later, with roughly one and half minutes left to play, the Irish would score once again. Right from the face off following Michigans last goal the Irish worked the puck quickly into the Michigan zone. As the Irish player closed with the Michigan goal he fired a bullet that beat Montoya, cutting the Michigan lead to two goals.

With twenty seconds left in the game the Irish pulled their goal tender to get the extra attacker. With just fifteen seconds left in the game Michigan would break out of their zone. Moss would carry the puck through the neutral zone, guiding the puck toward the Irish open net, fighting off an Irish defender the whole way. As he got to the net he just dropped the puck into the goal for the insurance goal ending the games scoring. Rogers and Kolarik picked up assists on the empty net goal.

The game would come to an end with the Wolverines owning a six to three victory. The Wolverines ended the game with a thirty-eight to fourteen advantage in shots on goal.

The Wolverines played a sloppy game of hockey tonight, but was simply to strong, even when not playing well, for the Irish to take full advantage of the chances they were given. While it wasn't pretty the most important thing is that the Wolverines won the game, maintaining their edge over the Ohio State Buckeyes who defeated the Spartans in East Lansing. With just two more regular season games left Michigan now holds a three point lead in conference play. A single win in their final weekend of play will insure a first place CCHA finish for the Wolverines.